


Barbaric, Vast and Wild

by kjack89



Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Additional Warnings In Author's Note, Drabble, M/M, National Poetry Month, Poetry, Provided drabble can be used for poetry?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-01
Updated: 2013-04-30
Packaged: 2017-12-07 06:09:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 30
Words: 9,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/745187
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kjack89/pseuds/kjack89
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In honor of National Poetry Month, I'm writing a (terrible) E/R poem every day.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Haiku - "He Wouldn't Want to Anyway"

**Author's Note:**

> So this was originally going to be posted solely on my [tumblr](kjack89.tumblr.com), but as I was writing today's poem, I realized that I was a) very quickly going to run out of poem forms to use and b) was going to very quickly run out of ideas. So I'm basically only posting this to solicit ideas and thus keep me sane. 
> 
> Set thus far in vaguely canon-era but I'm open to anything so this will undoubtedly skip around depending on prompts/my mood so each poem (unless otherwise noted) should be considered unrelated.
> 
> At the very least, my terrible poetry will give you something to laugh at, right?
> 
> All usual disclaimers apply with the added disclaimer that I am _NOT_ Jehan and thus my poetry leaves much to be desired. Title is from a Denis Diderot quote: "Poetry must have something in it that is barbaric, vast and wild." (AKA everything my poetry does not)

**_He Wouldn’t Want to Anyway_ **

The light is blinding  
Reflecting off Apollo  
R can’t look away

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I'm not ~~but actually kind of am~~ sorry


	2. Shakespearean(ish) Sonnet - "Dreams of a New World"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I continue to be apologetic that this exists.

_**Dreams of a New World** _

Together they dreamed of a newer world  
Though each man’s dream took a different form  
Enjolras dreamed revolution unfurled  
Grantaire dreamed of an embrace that was warm  
  
Each man would think the other’s was foolish  
A dream that was unworthy of dreaming  
To make the other see was their one wish  
The worth inherent in each dream’s meaning  
  
Neither man’s dream would pass during his life  
Though Grantaire’s came closest to coming true  
Enjolras watched the barricade in strife  
The world he dreamed lost always from his view  
  
Despite the waste laid to all of his plans  
The new world started when R took his hand


	3. Freeform - "Could Change"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by a few interesting Tumblr conversations I've seen over whether Grantaire actually changes/redeems himself in the Brick. This doesn't detail my own feelings on that questions (or at least not all of them - that would take much more than a poem to do), but it pulls from some opinions of myself and others.
> 
> Despite appearances thus far, these will not all be canon-era, I swear. They will also not always be from Enjolras or Grantaire's POV.

**Could Change**

He likes to pretend that  
If Enjolras were to smile at him  
Acknowledge his value  
What little value he has, at least,  
Then maybe he could change  
It would not be drastic—  
let’s not pretend otherwise—  
He would still scorn the revolution  
Find folly in “social justice”  
Poke holes in Enjolras’s ideals  
But he could change  
Maybe cut back on the drink  
(Not give it up altogether  
of course  
because that would be too much  
especially for him)  
But he could change  
Pay more attention in meetings  
Try a little harder  
Volunteer more than just his cynicism

Chances are, though  
That despite his best efforts—  
if he could make any effort—  
None of that would change  
Grantaire is not a man of willpower  
Of personal strength  
And these feats require more  
Than just belief in a blond Apollo  
Require more than a smile  
A glance  
A casual touch

No, if anything in Grantaire were to change—  
were Enjolras to smile at him—  
It would be small  
Almost unable to be noticed  
It would start – and end – with belief  
If Enjolras could believe in him  
Just enough to not despise him  
Then maybe, just maybe, Grantaire  
Could believe in himself  
Maybe the self-loathing and hate  
Would loosen their grip  
Maybe he would realize  
Maybe he would understand  
That there were people who cared  
That his entire world did not  
Have to begin and end with Enjolras  
And with that change  
Maybe he could discover the strength  
To change more in himself

That could change  
He could change  
But like everything in Grantaire’s life  
From showing up at meetings  
To, seemingly, every breath he took  
It required a simple, guaranteed presence  
It required Enjolras  
And Enjolras  
Blond Apollo incarnate  
Was precisely the one thing  
That Grantaire could never have

And thus he would never change


	4. Pseudo-Kyrielle - "At All"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pseudo-kyrielle because a kyrielle is only supposed to have eight syllables per line and I was just like...no.
> 
> Unspecified time-period, but I think based on the characterization this one has to be kind of a modern AU.
> 
> Also featuring the way to tell I'm a terrible poet - using the same four words to rhyme! Clever girl... >.>

**At All**

He loves the way, when sober, Grantaire’s eyes  
Sparkle and gleam like a thousand fireflies  
Against the dark black of a night in fall  
But he doesn’t love Grantaire at all

He loves Grantaire’s teasing smile  
As he jokes with Bahorel all the while  
Enjolras speaks on issues big and small  
But he doesn’t love Grantaire at all 

He loves the smallest things about him  
From his scent to the paint spots on his skin  
And even the way he slumps, not standing tall  
But he doesn’t love Grantaire at all

Because regardless of all the little things  
There are a thousand big ones in the wings  
That Enjolras hates with passion not small  
And he doesn’t love Grantaire at all

The cynic’s smirk and scathing comebacks  
And the way that he’s a nihilistic hack  
Who’d just as soon allow the cause to fall  
No, he doesn’t love Grantaire at all

Except that on rare occurrence, Grantaire  
Reminds Enjolras that he can sometimes care  
That he could be something beautiful, if he had the gall  
But he doesn’t love Grantaire at all

And Enjolras finds that all the little things  
Can sometimes outweigh all the big  
Who knew that Enjolras would be the one to fall?  
Maybe he loves Grantaire after all


	5. Diamante - "E/R"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Diamante](http://www.shadowpoetry.com/resources/wip/diamante.html) because I didn't have a whole lot of time (since I'm still trying to finish the next chapter in my stupid fic) and this didn't take very long (i.e. a minute).

 

**E/R**

Enjolras  
Marble Revolution  
Leading, Fighting, Believing  
Justice, Liberty; Nihilism, Absence    
Arguing, Loving, Self-depricating  
Drunk Cynic  
Grantaire


	6. Heroic Rispetto - "Better Than Dreams"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am distinctly not sorry for this one. [Heroic rispetto](http://www.shadowpoetry.com/resources/wip/rispetto.html) because I wrote this in iambic pentameter instead of tetrameter, not because this is particularly heroic at all. 
> 
> Established relationship here (could be ModernAU or canon divergence). Expect a longer poem tomorrow (hopefully featuring at least one of the other Amis)

**Better than Dreams**

In Grantaire’s dreams, they sometimes go dancing  
He and Apollo dancing hand in hand  
No care in the world, just stolen glancings  
No revolutions that need to be planned

Then Grantaire awakes, the dream is ended  
Alone without his lover-pretended  
Til Enjolras’s arm snakes ‘round his waist  
And he leans into his lover’s embrace 


	7. Free Form - "Combeferre"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which I try something different. From Combeferre's POV (I feel this should go without saying, but...)
> 
> Modern AU.

**Combeferre**

Combeferre tried to ignore it  
All the signs that pointed  
In one direction  
The first time Grantaire came to a meeting sober  
And Enjolras forgot his speech halfway through  
Or the time  
When Combeferre was discussing  
Their next rally with Enjolras  
Who was too busy staring  
At Grantaire  
To pay attention

He tried to understand it  
But inwardly his blood boiled  
And outwardly he sighed  
When every time, instead of  
Arguing with Grantaire  
Enjolras favored the cynic  
With a smile

It was not as if Enjolras  
Gave up on his cause  
Still he fought the fight  
Led the rallies  
His speeches still inspired the masses  
And it was not as if Combeferre  
Didn't like Grantaire  
Because he did, really  
He just didn't like to see Enjolras's  
Attention, passion, fervor  
Split and redirected

(And if he's being a little honest  
Sometimes it feels like he's  
Losing his best friend  
And it's a little lonely  
And it doesn't justify it  
But he used to think he and Enjolras  
Were the only sane ones  
And now he's wondering  
If it's just him  
Or if they're all sane, and he's  
Well...  
Not)

He could never ignore it  
He could never understand it  
It was inexplicable  
It was unavoidable  
But when he saw how Enjolras lit up  
Smile dancing across his lips  
Eyes softening when looking at Grantaire  
He knew not enough philosophy in the world  
Would be able to explain it  
But a small part of him also knew  
That this was not the realm for philosophy  
But for poets

He could never understand it  
But he realized following a meeting one night  
When he watched Enjolras take Grantaire’s hand  
Lace their fingers together  
When he saw the smile on Grantaire’s face  
The light that so rarely shone from Grantaire’s eyes

Combeferre did not need to understand


	8. Acrostic - "Orestes Fasting and Pylades Drunk"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Acrostics are hard to write. The end.

**Orestes Fasting and Pylades Drunk**

**O** ratory spills from Enjolras's lips  
 **R** allying the people to the cause  
 **E** veryone but Grantaire, who  
 **S** its in the back, raising bottle to lips  
 **T** alking only to mock  
 **E** njolras, whose blood boils, wondering why Grantaire  
 **S** tays if he doesn't believe in the cause

**F** or he doesn't; he's said as much  
 **A** nd Enjolras doesn't understand, truly, when R  
 **S** lips and says the truth for once  
 **T** hose words that he says  
 **I**  believe in you  
 **N** ot the cause, not the revolution - you  
 **G** rantaire has never spoken more truthfully 

**A** nd Enjolras doesn't understand  
 **N** ot believing that a cynic can believe, that  
 **D** ionysus can revere Apollo

**P** erhaps given the chance, he could  
 **Y** et the chance is not to come, a battle instead  
 **L** aying waste to the barricade  
 **A** nd then - least expected at the end -   
 **D** o you permit it?  
 **E** njolras takes Grantaire's hand  
 **S** miling as an answer

**D** uring that moment when he took  
 **R** ’s hand, warm and alive in his  
 **U** nderstanding, finally, what never he could in life  
 **N** ow too late to bask in the  
 **K** nowledge (and love) granted solely in death


	9. Quadruple Etheree - "Missing"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If I never have to count another syllable when this thing is over, I will be so goshdarned happy, you have NO idea.

**Missing**

 

He  
Wonders  
What his life  
Would be like if  
He had never met him  
Never seen those golden  
Curls, never been pierced by blue  
Eyes, never heard words spoken by  
Those wicked lips he so longs to kiss  
Belonging to Enjolras, who he loves  
Wonders because, without Enjolras’s  
Love in return, he doesn’t see the  
Point in carrying on, in not  
Drinking himself to death, yet  
He knows that without him  
His life would be worse  
Than it is now  
He would be  
Empty  
Lost  
So  
He stays  
He watches  
Waiting, hoping  
To catch his god’s eye  
To bring a smile to  
Those glorious lips, pursed so  
Often in disdain whene’er R  
Speaks, drinks, exists (at least so R thinks)  
Never catching the softness in his eyes  
When he looks at the cynic, or the smile  
That Enjolras tries so hard to hide  
Missing moments in each other  
That could let them be more than  
Marble god and cynic  
Maybe together  
Not just apart  
‘Fore it’s too  
Late for  
That


	10. Freeform - "Why Not Just End It"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **This poem is rated Mature. TW for self-harm and suicide ideation.**
> 
> ...but hey, it features our favorite hypochondriac, so there's that, I guess?

**Why Not Just End It**

It’s Joly who he calls  
It’s always Joly  
Not that this has happened  
So many times before  
Though it has  
Many times  
(And times he cannot  
Even recall)  
Joly does not question, judge  
Just purses his lips in that way he gets  
Steadily wrapping bandages  
‘Round Grantaire’s wrists  
Letting Grantaire babble half-formed  
Explanations and apologies

It doesn’t happen often  
It happens often enough  
When the voices in his head  
And in his heart  
And in his soul  
The voices whisper and taunt  
 _Why not just end it?  
_ The words haunt him, mock him  
 _Why not just end it all?_

He’s useless  
He knows this  
He never aspired to be anything but  
Not until he met Enjolras  
Apollo with the golden hair  
So beautiful as to shatter his heart  
And still have beauty left to mend it  
He longs to be useful to him  
Longs to be worthy  
Longs to be needed

But he is met with scorn  
With derision  
And he knows he doesn’t help his cause  
When he laughs in meetings  
Gets too drunk to walk  
But if Enjolras could just once  
Pretend to care…

He doesn’t  
He won’t

And Grantaire is fine  
Fine  
Completely fine  
Until the voices start up again  
And he grips the razor in his hand  
And contemplates running it vertically down his arm  
Instead of horizontal

He doesn’t  
Never would

He lies to himself  
Saying it’s because he  
Doesn’t want to hurt Apollo  
To cause him pain, grief  
To cause a crack in that magnificent marble  
In truth  
He fears above all  
That Apollo would not weep  
Would not grieve  
Might even feel relief  
Or, worse yet  
Might forget the cynic existed at all

That thought scares him more  
Than the promise of dying  
Ever could

So he smiles a little too brightly  
Drinks a little too deeply  
Getting himself through until  
He can sit on his bathroom floor  
Against the cool tiles  
Razor in hand  
Blood trickling in rivulets  
Cut deep enough  
To channel his pain  
His fears

And when he can finally breathe again  
When the world stops spinning just enough  
With trembling fingers  
He dials  
“Joly, it’s me. Please…”  
He doesn’t finish the question  
He doesn’t need to  
Joly will come  
Joly always does  
Grantaire always apologizes  
Always promises never again  
They both know he’s lying


	11. Freeform - "Boxes"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't like doing two of the same form in a row - though let's be honest, by the end they're all going to be freeform because I'm going to get really lazy up in here any day now - but I wanted something happy to counterbalance yesterday's, so...

**Boxes**

The boxes are stacked in the corner  
“This is just temporary”  
Enjolras warns  
“Just til you find  
a new place”  
Grantaire nods  
He can’t complain  
They’ve only been dating  
A little while  
And it’s far, far too soon  
To even consider moving in  
Together

A week later  
The boxes remain sealed  
Until Enjolras rolls his eyes  
Wrinkles his nose  
And cleans out a drawer  
After all  
Grantaire needs clean clothes  
Ones that aren’t so wrinkled  
So one box is opened

A second is opened  
One month in  
When Grantaire gets the urge  
To start painting again  
And Enjolras just looks up  
Over the edge of his book  
And casually tells Grantaire  
“Don’t get paint on my stuff”

Two months later  
Another box  
Because Grantaire needs his  
Winter coat  
And gloves  
Though he borrows Enjolras’s scarf  
And neither mentions  
That “temporary”  
Seems to have taken on  
An extended meaning

Six months in  
And neither man mentions  
That Grantaire’s stuff  
Takes up at least half  
Of the drawer  
And closet space  
In Enjolras’s apartment

Nine months  
They can no longer remember  
Which stuff was Grantaire’s  
And which was Enjolras’s  
“Isn’t that my shirt?”  
Grantaire asks  
His head resting on  
Enjolras’s chest  
A rumble that might have  
Been a laugh  
Jostles Grantaire’s head slightly  
“Maybe. I don’t know”

A year together  
There are no more boxes  
And Enjolras grips his hand  
As they leave the café  
Saying  
“Let’s go home”


	12. Quatern - "True"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quatern with a twist! Keeping the happiness going from yesterday.
> 
> As a reminder, kindly let me know if you have any prompts, any moments you'd like to see me write about, or any style you'd like to see me try. I have something half-started for tomorrow, but after that...I got nothing. So...help?

**True**

“Where you go, I will follow you”  
The words are soft and spoken true  
From Grantaire to his Apollo  
The love he will always follow

Enjolras rolls his eyes so blue  
“Where you go, I will follow you”  
The words are folly when spoken  
By a man who is so broken

Yet he looks earnest and sober  
Enjolras almost won over  
“Where you go, I will follow you”  
Enjolras wants to think it’s true 

And there’s something about Grantaire  
Something Enjolras could ne’er share  
And Enjolras knows that it’s true  
Where R went, he’d follow him, too


	13. Ballad - "The Ballad of Grantaire"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back to canon-era for this one.

**The Ballad of ~~Pollux, Patroclus, Nisus, Eudamidas, Ephestion, Pechméja,~~ Grantaire**

There once was a raven-haired lad  
A cynic by the name of Grantaire  
His only love was another man  
An Apollo-like god with golden hair

 _(Refrain)  
_ His hand always outstretched _  
_His love always denied _  
_The cynic’s whispered regret _  
_“ _Would that he were mine_ ”

Grantaire was no more than a drunk  
A cynic with no ambition  
The cruel world had left his heart shrunk  
A truly terminal condition

His hand always outstretched  
His love always denied  
The cynic’s whispered regret  
“ _Would that he were mine_ ”

Enjolras was his opposite half  
That thing which would make him whole  
Too bad he was scorned with a laugh  
That Grantaire felt in his soul

His hand always outstretched  
His love always denied  
The cynic’s whispered regret  
“ _Would that he were mine_ ”

So Grantaire drank more and more  
Mocking Enjolras whene’er he could  
Waking up more than once from the floor  
Feeling more alone than he ever should

His hand always outstretched  
His love always denied  
The cynic’s whispered regret  
“ _Would that he were mine_ ”

As revolution began to build  
Grantaire felt even more alone  
All his friends would surely be killed  
And Apollo himself would be dethroned

His hand always outstretched  
His love always denied  
The cynic’s whispered regret  
“ _Would that he were mine_ ”

Perhaps it was complete folly  
But Grantaire decided to stay  
To drink and pretend to be jolly  
Til he were to die that fateful day

His hand always outstretched  
His love always denied  
The cynic’s whispered regret  
“ _Would that he were mine_ ”

Far too soon it came to pass  
The barricades he did dread  
The National Guard advanced, alas  
To kill all the school boys dead

His hand always outstretched  
His love always denied  
The cynic’s whispered regret  
“ _Would that he were mine_ ”

By miracle and drink Grantaire  
Was not killed on the barricade  
But when he saw Enjolras standing there  
His final decision was made

His hand always outstretched  
His love always denied  
The cynic’s whispered regret  
“ _Would that he were mine_ ”

He shouted “I am one of them!”  
The morn of that fateful day  
With no words left between the men  
When he was permitted to stay

 _(Final Refrain)  
_ Enjolras’s hand finally outstretched _  
_Grantaire’s love no more denied _  
_Neither man filled with regret __  
When hand-in-hand they died


	14. Freeform - "Scars"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Trigger warnings for past self-harm**
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> This is not meant to take place in the same 'verse as ["Why Not Just End It"](http://archiveofourown.org/works/745187/chapters/1412758); I just happen to like my Grantaire screwed up in every 'verse.

**Scars**

When it finally happens  
The day their friends have  
Joked about for _years_  
When instead of using  
Their mouths to  
Yell at each other  
They put them to better use  
Grantaire is so goddamned _happy_

Until, at least  
When in the midst of frantic kisses  
Grantaire pulls his shirt off  
And feels Enjolras stiffen  
The breath hissing from  
Between suddenly clenched teeth  
And Grantaire remembers

He remembers there’s a reason  
He doesn’t  
Walk around with his shirt off  
And not just because  
Really that’s more  
Courfeyrac’s thing

But because before he found booze  
He still had pain  
Just no way to numb it  
Besides the relief that  
Was only brought by  
The edge of a blade

So on his thighs  
And his stomach  
And a few places on his back  
Lines crisscross in  
Angry hash marks  
Memories of worse days  
Memories of worse pain  
Faded – for the most part –  
Into silvery scars

It had been awhile  
Since he had last done it  
He’s not “better” now  
“Better” is subjective  
But he’s found better ways  
To mask the pain  
The damage  
And he’s found a marble god  
Which has brought pain, yes  
But a different kind of pain  
Cleaner, fresher  
Yet far more easily healed

He's not broken  
A little damaged, sure  
But not broken  
And Enjolras  
God though he may be  
Can't fix him  
Can't make him whole

Because he is whole  
He learned long ago  
That he was as whole  
As he was ever going to be  
And that it was fine  
Because being wholly not whole  
Worked for him  
Because he was fine  
On his own  
Because he needed no one

So Grantaire stares at him  
Defiantly  
"Well?" he says  
Daring him to make comment  
Enjolras's eyes flash to his  
Unreadable  
"They're beautiful"  
He says  
Whispers  
"You're beautiful"

"You don't think  
I'm broken?"  
Asks Grantaire  
The trepidation  
Creeping into his voice  
Because he learned long ago  
That no one was ever  
Going to really love him  
If they realized  
How fucked up he was  
(Is)

Enjolras runs trembling  
Fingers over Grantaire's scars  
"We're all a little broken"  
He says  
His voice soft  
"It's what makes us human"

"Even you?"  
Grantaire can't  
Help but ask

Smiling, a little sadly  
Enjolras nods  
His fingers still  
Skimming over  
Grantaire's scars  
"Even me"

And Grantaire remembers  
That marble, too  
Can crack  
And he wonders if Enjolras  
Also has scars  
Just less visible than his

There will be time to find out  
And when he does, he will kiss every one  
The way Enjolras  
Kisses his right now


	15. Petrarchan Sonnet - "Le Marieur"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been assured by online translation services that "marieur" is French for "matchmaker", but given that it looks an awful lot like the French for "to marry", I have a feeling it's not an exact translation for what I mean when I say "matchmaker" in English.
> 
> C'est la vie.

**Le Marieur**

Jehan Prouvaire sees all and observes all  
Which is how he sees what the rest all miss  
Like how Grantaire is dying for a kiss  
From Enjolras, with a passion not small  
Jehan loves to help lovers most of all  
So he gives Enjolras words not remiss  
To point him in the direction of his  
True love – unknown, but true love after all

In that moment it is hard to tell as  
Enjolras kisses Grantaire unbidden  
Who the surprised and who the surpriser  
Both men smiling shyly and holding hands  
And if Jehan’s role in this was hidden  
No one needs to ever be the wiser


	16. Freeform - "The Chain will be Broken

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was written in response to events yesterday. If you want to read it as events in Boston, fine. Events in Iraq, fine. Events all over the world that happen too goddamn frequently, fine. Human tragedy is not bound by geographic location. But neither is human hope, faith, and love.

**The Chain will be Broken**

What should have been  
A casual cuddle on the couch  
Turns into so much more  
As the TV broadcast  
Is broken into  
With breaking news

They stare at the screen  
And at each other  
In horror  
Sorrow  
As images of terror  
Of tragedy  
Flood the screen

Grantaire  
Originally just casually leaning  
Against Enjolras  
Now curls into him  
His fists balled in  
Enjolras's t-shirt  
And Enjolras  
Though his phone is  
In one hand  
Pulls Grantaire closer  
With the other 

Images of tragedy  
Are soon usurped  
By images of helping  
Images of hope  
Images of the kind of love  
That can only be shown  
Between two strangers  
In a desperate situation  
Selflessly helping the other 

More details are given  
As they are discovered  
Updated casualties  
And Grantaire is surprised  
To feel what's suspiciously  
Close to tears  
Drip into his hair  
He turns slightly  
Trying to see Enjolras's face  
Questioning 

"This is what we're fighting for"  
Enjolras whispers fiercely  
Into Grantaire's hair  
Arms curled around him  
Almost too tightly  
"So that this never happens  
Here or anywhere else  
And we are going to change things  
I promise you, Grantaire  
We are" 

And Grantaire  
Who has never had a cause  
Who has never had faith  
Nods slowly  
Wanting more than anything  
In the world  
To believe what Enjolras says  
To believe that change is possible  
To believe  
Just for once  
That there is an  
Inherent goodness  
In humanity

But he is Grantaire  
And faith does not come easily  
Not when confronted  
With images like these  
So he curls closer into Enjolras  
And tells what truth he can  
"I believe in you"


	17. Limerick(s) - "Unlucky Lesgle"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Technically a set of ten stanzas in limerick form.
> 
> Featuring Les Amis!
> 
> **Rated M**. This is the closest y'all are ever going to get to smutty poetry from me.

**Unlucky Lesgle**

Bossuet was an unlucky man  
He sat in the Musain icing his hand  
From hitting the wall  
When he had a bad fall  
As with everything else, unplanned

Still, he was in an excellent mood  
As the friends drank wine and shared lots of food  
All laughing and merry  
Easy friendship sharing  
In such company that was good

Jehan and Feuilly drinking together  
As Joly fretted over the weather  
Telling 'Ferre a cold  
Was soon to take hold  
Ferre's patience seemed to last forever

Courf and Bahorel arm-wrestled loudly  
Ignoring the warnings from Joly  
Until, seeing the clock  
Sat up Courfeyrac  
As he called to attention Les Amis

Their arm-wrestling match forgotten  
"Look at the time misbegotten  
It's half past eight  
Enjolras is late  
To where has our noble leader gotten?"

Combeferre frowned and said, scratching his chin,  
"It's not like him to be late on a whim  
No, Joly, he's not ill  
And while he hasn't been killed  
Someone should at least check in on him."

None wanted to leave; they put up a show  
Bossuet shrugged and volunteered to go  
Thinking it'd be easy  
How very wrong was he  
Why they let him offer he'd never know

For arriving at Enjolras's flat  
He knocked, entered, and removed his hat  
Calling, "Anyone home?"  
Answered by a low moan  
So he went to investigate that

Bossuet opened the bedroom door  
To find Grantaire kneeling on the floor  
Mouth 'round the other man's cock  
Bossuet's eyes wide with shock  
As Enjolras begged Grantaire for more

Stumbling back with a horrified scream  
Wishing it was possible to unsee  
Bossuet cried, "My poor eyes!  
Lock the door next time, guys!"  
Sighing, "What terrible luck has me."


	18. Epitaph - "MM. Enjolras and Grantaire"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is so short. Tomorrow's will be longer.

**MM. Enjolras and Grantaire**

_Vive la Republique!_  Grantaire's final cry  
A smile, Enjolras's final reply  
Hand-in-hand the day they died  
Now together for eternity they lie


	19. Terzanelle - "The Fact Which Everyone Knew"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Terzanelle. Kind of ignored the part about each line being the same metrical length. My bad. Canon-era.

**The Fact Which Everyone Knew**

Grantaire was in love with Enjolras  
This was a fact that everyone knew  
Grantaire was in love with Enjolras

It was a fact that made Grantaire quite blue  
For Enjolras would ne’er love Grantaire back  
This was a fact that everyone knew

Grantaire offered to polish Enjolras’s boots black  
Enjolras just rebuffed the drunk  
For Enjolras would ne'er love Grantaire back

Into depression Grantaire sunk  
Knowing his love would ne’er be returned  
Enjolras just rebuffed the drunk

When the tide of feeling in the city turned  
Grantaire took his place beside him  
Knowing his love would ne’er be returned

Grantaire declared ‘I am one of them!’  
Grantaire took his place beside him  
Grantaire was in love with Enjolras  
Grantaire was in love with Enjolras


	20. Freeform - "4/20"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I mean I had to.
> 
> ONLY TEN MORE DAYS OF THIS. PRAISE THE FLYING SPAGHETTI MONSTER.
> 
> That does mean that y'all only have ten days left to let me know if you want to see anything in particular. Because once 4/30 is over...quoth the raven, nevermore.
> 
> Uh, should go without saying, but blatant drug use in this one. Also, modern AU.

**4/20**

"We're supposed to be preparing for Earth Day"  
Enjolras says stiffly  
Trying to ignore the glazed grins  
He receives in return

"Yeah, but you planned a meeting  
On 4/20"  
Courfeyrac points out  
A joint dangling  
From his fingertips  
As he grins at him

"And it's medical"  
Adds Joly primly  
"Well  
At least for me"

Enjolras sighs and wants  
To ask which made-up ailment  
Joly used to procure  
His medical marijuana card  
But his thoughts are cut off  
By Grantaire pressing  
A kiss to his lips  
"You should have some"  
Grantaire tells him, grinning  
"It might actually let you relax  
For once"

Glaring, Enjolras snaps  
"I'm not here to relax  
I'm here to work"

"Pray tell, how much work  
Do you expect to get done  
With everyone like this?"  
Grantaire asks  
Still grinning

Enjolras grits his teeth  
Does not want to  
Admit defeat  
But has to admit that  
Not much will get done  
With everyone in   
The state they're in  
Grantaire holds up  
An unlit joint  
"One joint"  
He says  
"And I personally  
Guaranatee  
That I will do work  
Without complaint"

Still glaring  
Enjolras wavers  
Cheered on by  
Les Amis  
Suddenly much more attentive  
Now that Enjolras  
Looks ready to join in  
"Fine," Enjolras sighs  
Taking the joint  
Waiting for Grantaire to light it  
Inhaling as directed  
Shaking his head at  
The absurd cheers from his friends

Once the joint is finished  
Grantaire wraps his arms  
Around Enjolras's waist  
And kisses him  
Heady  
And languid  
"You said we'd do work"  
Enjolras whispers  
Against Grantaire's lips

Grantaire grins  
His eyes gleaming  
"I lied" he tells him  
Fingers curling into  
Enjolras's hair  
"Didn't anyone tell you  
Drugs make you do  
Bad things?"

Enjolras rolls his eyes  
But Grantaire feels really good  
In his arms  
And really  
Earth Day isn't til Monday  
"Fine," he relents  
"But then we're doing work  
Tomorrow"

Grantaire  
Is too busy  
Nuzzling Enjolras's neck  
To respond  
And Enjolras just sighs  
And thinks  
Maybe their next cause  
Should be legalization

 


	21. Crown Cinquain - "No Matter How He Tries"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> T-minus 9 days...NOT THAT I'M COUNTING OR ANYTHING.
> 
> Canon-era ish for this one? Doesn't have to be, but it feels more like canon-era Grantaire to me.

**No Matter How He Tries**

Grantaire  
Good for naught but  
Wishing for Apollo  
Lust knotted love and desire  
Failure

Drunkard  
Seeking refuge  
In a glass or bottle  
Any temporary relief  
He can

His love  
His Enjolras  
Golden curls and blue eyes  
Carved from marble, voice from the gods  
Not his

Never  
Never would be  
Enjolras did not love  
Anyone least of all Grantaire  
Cynic

Despair  
The dregs of wine  
Trying to drown his love  
Wants it to crush him but it can’t  
Quench hope


	22. Rondel - "With a Smile"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one requires headcanon notes? Uh, Bahorel and Grantaire dick around and box each other for shits and gigs. Why do they fight in the rain? ~~Because rain rhymed with the other words and here's a secret: I'm not particularly clever so go with it, yeah?~~ Because I felt like it. It's friendly fighting, not like actively beating each other up or anything. I don't know. Ignore.
> 
> Modern AU.

**With a Smile**

Grantaire fought with a smile on his face  
As he sparred with Bahorel in the rain  
Over bragging rights they wanted to gain  
As they boxed each other in that place

If Bahorel found R’s smile out of place  
To say anything, he did not deign  
Grantaire fought with a smile on his face  
As he sparred with Bahorel in the rain

Grantaire fought filled with love’s grace  
He has someone now to kiss his pain  
To run fingers pale over bruises plain  
With Enjolras’s love as a ready brace  
Grantaire fought with a smile on his face

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> T-minus 10...9...8...


	23. Clerihew - "Enjolras and Grantaire"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaah I almost forgot today's poem. Hence why I chose such a short form. Sorry I fail. Only sort of a clerihew because a clerihew is supposed to be comic, and, well, this isn't exactly tragic? So that's something.

**Enjolras and Grantaire**

Enjolras and Grantaire  
The most inexplicable pair  
Fighting louder than thunder above  
It’s just how they show their love


	24. Freeform - "Beautiful"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Modern AU. I just wanted a bit of fluff.

**Beautiful**

Grantaire was awoken  
By a sudden crash  
And a muffled curse  
He rolled out of bed  
And padded down the hall  
To find Enjolras  
In the kitchen  
Wearing one of Grantaire’s smocks  
Having just overturned  
The easel he had clearly been  
Trying to paint on

“What are you doing?”  
Asked Grantaire  
Curious  
Enjolras did not usually  
Paint, after all  
The arts were Grantaire’s realm

Enjolras looked up  
And flushed  
“I was trying to paint”  
Sounding embarrassed

Grantaire stepped into the room  
Sidestepped the easel  
“I can see that”  
He said  
Resisting the urge  
To roll his eyes  
“But you don’t paint.”

He though he was just  
Stating the obvious  
And was surprised  
When Enjolras looked  
Suddenly hurt  
“No I don’t”  
Enjolras muttered  
Glaring down at the paper  
In front of him  
Crumpling it  
Into a ball  
“Not like you”

Concerned  
Grantaire moved  
To embrace the blond man  
To pull him into his arms  
To run fingers through  
Golden hair  
Across lithe muscles  
Over smooth skin  
To brush a gentle kiss  
On to perfection  
“Hey” he said  
Softly  
“What is this about?”

 Enjolras sighed  
Leaned into his embrace  
Voice muffled  
By Grantaire’s shoulder  
“You paint me  
Such gorgeous pictures  
Of the worlds that you see  
Of the beauty you see  
You say you don’t believe  
In anything  
But I look at what you paint  
And it’s obvious to me  
That you do believe  
And I wanted to show you  
Just a little bit  
Of how much I believe in you”

Grantaire was silent  
Flabbergasted  
More in love with  
The man in front of him  
Than ever before  
He pressed a kiss  
To Enjolras’s cheek  
And whispered  
Voice fierce  
“You show me things  
So beautiful  
Every single day  
When you speak  
Your words paint  
A far more beautiful world  
Than my brushes ever could  
I do believe, Enjolras  
I believe in you  
And I love you”

Enjolras smiled slightly  
Kissing Grantaire gently  
“I love you too”

“And I shall never  
Tire of hearing you say it”  
Grantaire told him  
“Of all the beautiful  
Things you say  
That is the one  
Most beautiful of all”


	25. Sedoka - "Each Loved"

**Each Loved**

R loved Enjolras  
Marble god, beautiful  
But terrible and cruel 

Enjolras loved R  
Wild, uncontrollable  
But a drunk and cynic


	26. Monorhyme - "Of Inevitability"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Obligatory Courfeyrac-centric poem because I love me some Courf.

**Of Inevitability**

Grantaire showed up, full of misery  
At Courfeyrac's door, crying freely  
Courfeyrac invited him in, worry  
Making his forehead wrinkly  
Grantaire hiccuped, "Enjolras kissed me"

Courfeyrac couldn't help laughing loudly  
At Grantaire's glare, he said, "I'm sorry  
But what makes you so upset, ami?  
Isn't what you always wanted he?"

Grantaire just shrugged moodily  
"Of course but I'll inevitably  
Screw things up and make him hate me  
I'll be as terrible for him as any can be  
You know I speak truthfully  
I'll break his heart inevitably  
Or he'll break mine so fully  
When he'll realize quite rapidly  
What a mistake he's made, you see  
For he could never want a drunkard like me"

"Grantaire, stop," Courf said impatiently  
"Stop the crying and the 'woe is me'  
Take a step back and you will see  
You, too, deserve to be happy  
Things will not fall apart for you and he  
Just because of inevitability  
Inevitability doesn't rule you or me  
Or exist at all; from fate, you are free  
Enjolras wants you, anyone can see  
You've done this dance so frequently  
Let it just happen; let it just be"

Whether or not Grantaire did agree  
He took Courf's advice to wait and see  
And when they walked in together, Enjolras and he  
Hand-in-hand to the Musain, totally happy  
Courfeyrac couldn't have been more full of glee  
But he had not spoken truthfully  
He did believe in inevitability  
As he watched them exchange glances shyly  
He knew those two were meant to be


	27. Freeform - "Good Days"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Modern AU. I'M ACTUALLY NOT WAITING UNTIL IT'S ALMOST MIDNIGHT TO WRITE A POEM HOW YOU LIKE ME NOW?!
> 
> Sorry. Just proud of myself today :)

**Good Days**

There had been a lot of bad days  
Leading up to Grantaire  
Announcing, out of the blue  
“I’m giving up drinking”

Enjolras had just nodded  
Not sure how to respond  
Wanting to encourage him  
Of course  
But not overwhelm him  
And not make him reconsider

Because giving up the booze  
As much as Enjolras  
Wants that for him  
Means that there would be  
A lot more bad days to come

And there were  
Beyond just the withdrawal  
Which was bad enough  
And left Grantaire writing in pain  
Begging for a drink  
While Enjolras held him  
As tightly as he could  
Tears streaming down his face

There were days when  
All they did was fight  
And the fights always ended with  
Grantaire screaming at Enjolras  
“You’re the reason I want to drink!”

Or days when Grantaire  
Just could not get out of bed  
And could not understand why  
Enjolras couldn’t just stay with him

But there are good days too

Days when Enjolras comes home from work  
To find Grantaire humming to himself  
As he paints  
Or days when they do  
Stay in bed all day  
Not because Grantaire can’t get up  
But because neither of them want to  
Leave the other’s embrace

Enjolras looks forward to  
When they no longer count by  
Good days  
But by good weeks  
Good months  
Good years

It will take time  
He knows this  
And while he's never claimed  
Patience as a virtue  
He possesses  
He's willing to wait  
Willing to stick it out  
As long as it takes  
Because he knows  
That the good years  
Are still ahead

And without Grantaire  
There wouldn't be good weeks  
Or months or years  
There would be no good days  
Without Grantaire by his side

So he will be strong  
And he will wait  
For as long as it takes  
Because some things  
Are worth waiting for  
And in the meantime  
He will take all the good days  
That he can


	28. Lanturnes - "Grantaire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Was just going to do one but it seemed really pitiful so I did 6 so it wouldn't seem so lonely.
> 
> Only two more left!!!!!

 

**Grantaire**

He  
Loves him  
With all his  
Heart and  
Soul

He  
Believes  
In only  
him (none  
else)

They  
Say it's  
Unhealthy  
Feeling  
This 

They  
Tell him  
Enjolras  
Won't love  
Him

That  
He will  
Never be  
Able  
To

But  
Grantaire  
Doesn't care  
He loves  
Him


	29. Triolet - "Angel Falling"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short, sorry. But tomorrow's is going to be fantastically long. Seriously. It's 9 pages thus far and I'm not even a third of the way done. I may not even a fourth of the way done. So yeah.

**Angel Falling**

When first Enjolras kissed Grantaire  
Grantaire knew he had made an angel fall  
Hands tangled in each other’s hair  
When first Enjolras kissed Grantaire  
More passion than they knew they could share  
Love as an undercurrent through it all  
When first Enjolras kissed Grantaire  
Grantaire knew he had made an angel fall


	30. Freeform - "Beauty and the Beast"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the end, folks! I can hardly believe it. Massive thanks to shelny18 and KraziiIsMe for all their lovely comments, and to everyone that read through to the end!
> 
> This is massively different than anything else I've done. This was actually going to be a multi-chapter fic that I decided to make into a poem instead. Probably to mixed results.
> 
> AU - Disney's _Beauty and the Beast_ crossover. Sort of. There are some differences as you'll see. But yeah.
> 
> Hope you all like it! Thanks for reading!!

**Beauty and the Beast**

I.

Once upon a time  
In a far away land  
A young prince named Grantaire   
lived in a shining castle  
Although he had everything  
His heart desired  
The prince was  
Spoiled  
Selfish  
And unkind

But then  
One winter’s night  
An old beggar woman  
Came to castle  
And offered him  
A single rose  
In return for shelter  
From the bitter cold

Repulsed by her haggard appearance  
Grantaire sneered  
At the gift  
And turned the old woman away  
But she warned him  
Not to be deceived  
By appearances  
For beauty is found within  
And when he dismissed her again  
The woman’s ugliness  
Melted away to reveal  
A beautiful enchantress

Gramtaire tried to apologize  
But it was too late  
For she had seen that  
There was no love in his heart  
And as punishment  
She transformed him  
So that he was hideously ugly  
And unleashed a powerful spell  
On the castle and  
All who lived there

Ashamed of his monstrous form  
Grantaire concealed himself  
Inside the castle  
With a magic mirror  
As his only window  
To the outside world  
The rose  
She had offered  
Was truly an  
Enchanted rose  
Which would bloom  
Until his twenty-first year

If he could learn   
To love another  
And earn love in return  
By the time the  
Last  
     Petal  
            Fell  
Then the spell  
Would be broken  
If not   
He would be doomed  
To remain a beast  
For all time

As the years passed  
He fell into despair  
And lost all hope  
Turning to drink to  
Try and ease his pain  
Though the alcohol made him  
Even more bitter and monstrous  
Than before

  
He didn’t see how  
That mattered  
It was a losing battle  
Anyway  
For who could ever  
Learn to love  
A beast?

****

II.

In a small town  
In the south of France  
There lived a young man  
Named Enjolras  
He was beautiful  
There was no other word for it  
He had deep eyes set  
Under a lofty brow  
Matched by red lips  
But despite his beauty  
He had no time for any  
Who threw a glance his way  
For Enjolras was possessed  
By revolutionary fervor  
Wanting to overthrow  
The tyranny of the state  
To encourage the people  
To rise up against  
Their oppressors

He was joined in his desire  
By an elderly man  
Named Mabeuf  
Who most of the town scorned  
But whom Enjolras loved  
Like a father

There was a man in town  
Named Montparnasse  
Who wanted Enjolras  
To come work for his gang  
Called Patron-Minette  
He desired Enjolras’s beauty  
And fervor  
Knowing that having a man  
Such as he  
Could persuade people  
Into supporting corruption  
The kind that he lived off of

But Enjolras rebuffed his attempts  
Scorning him  
Calling his and his gang’s methods  
“Positively primeval”  
Montparnasse glowered  
For he was a dangerous man  
And he knew that one way  
Or another  
Enjolras would be his

Enjolras was oblivious  
Head too far away  
In dreaming of the  
Future, of the  
Life he would lead  
Of the revolution to plan  
To notice just how dangerous  
Montparnasse was

****

III.

Now one day Mabeuf  
Left to go to Paris  
To meet with other revolutionaries  
And bring back advice  
And knowledge for their town  
Enjolras wished him luck  
And he went on his way

Unfortunately for Mabeuf  
The horse he rode  
A gentle gelding named Marius  
Had a terrible sense of direction  
And instead of leading him to Paris  
Instead led him to the gates  
Of a gigantic castle  
Before fleeing in terror  
From some wolves  
Left alone  
Mabeuf had no choice  
But to venture inside  
Where he was greeted  
By a talking candelabra  
Named Courfeyrac  
And an equally verbose clock  
Called Combeferre

Mabeuf was not given  
To flights of fancy  
And thus could barely  
Believe what he saw  
But as the candelabra  
Invited him to sit by the fire  
Despite the clock’s objections  
Mabeuf thought it best  
To suspend disbelief  
For the moment  
Especially when he was  
Served tea from a teapot  
Named Éponine  
In a talking cup  
Called Gavroche

Still Combeferre fretted  
Telling Courfeyrac worriedly  
“Grataire won’t like this  
And he’s had a lot  
To drink tonight”

Courfeyrac brushed   
His concerns aside  
"If he's been drinking  
He probably won't even  
Notice that we're here"

Courfeyrac was wrong  
Grantaire swept in   
Not even a minute later  
In a terrible mood that  
Sent the footstool, Feuilly  
Quivering under the rug  
"Who dares trespass here?"  
He yelled  
Features twisted in fury  
"Come to scorn and   
Laugh at me, have you?"

Mabeuf shrunk back  
Terrified of the man's temper  
"No I swear I-"

"Silence!" Grantaire snapped  
His head already pounding  
"We'll see how funny  
You find it  
When you are in the dungeons"

Mabeuf was dragged out of his chair  
By the coatrack that had  
Previously taken  
His coat and hat  
And he was frogmarched  
To the dungeons  
Between the coatrack  
And Grantaire  
Who ignored his sobbing  
Protestations

****

IV.

Enjolras sighed deeply  
And rubbed his brow  
Montparnasse had just come by  
To try and convince him  
Yet again  
To join his little gang  
Enjolras ground his teeth  
At the very thought

All he wanted was for  
Someone, anyone  
To believe in  
And to understand  
The vision that he had  
Of people free from  
Tyranny and oppression  
Not just by the state  
But the ruling class  
He wanted someone  
To see through his eyes  
To see the people  
Rising up and breaking  
Their chains

Just for once it might be grand  
To have someone understand  
Just how much Enjolras  
Had planned

He went outside to clear his head  
Lying down in the grass  
Closing his eyes and  
Basking in the sun  
When a sudden loud neigh  
Brought him from his reverie

When he saw it was Marius  
He knew something was amiss  
And let Marius lead him  
To the castle gates  
He went inside, searching  
Following what he thought  
Was a person  
Until he was in the dungeons  
And Mabeuf called, “Enjolras?”  
Sounding surprised

Enjolras rushed to his side  
“Who has done this  
To you, monsieur?”

Mabeuf did not answer  
Looking nervously over  
Enjolras’s shoulder  
“Enjolras you must away  
Before you get caught  
There is revolution  
Still coming  
And you must be a part  
Of it.”

He stopped there  
Unable to continue  
Due to a wracking cough  
Enjolras shook his head  
Clutching Mabeuf’s  
Cold hands  
Through the bars  
“No, monsieur  
You can lead the people  
Just as well as I  
And you are ill  
And must away from here  
Before you die”

Mabeuf just smiled  
Weakly  
And squeezed  
Enjolras’s hands  
“All men must die  
Enjolras”

But then a shadow fell  
Over them  
And Enjolras whirled to find  
Grantaire watching them  
His face more twisted  
Than usual  
From the way he  
Squinted into the shadows  
At where Enjolras knelt  
Next to Mabeuf  
“Are you the master  
Of this castle?”  
Enjolras demanded  
Standing to his full height  
“I demand you release  
This man.”

“This man is my prisoner”  
Grantaire drawled  
Sounding more amused  
Than anything else  
“He was trespassing  
And I have every right  
To keep him imprisoned  
As long as I wish”

Enjolras squared his shoulders  
“Then take me in his stead  
For he is old  
And weak  
And I would rather he die  
In service of the people  
Than here, alone”

Grantaire cocked his head  
Smiling slightly  
“You would do that?  
You would stay here  
Forever  
In his stead?”

“I would not  
Shirk from what duty  
Lies before me”

Grantaire narrowed his eyes  
Still trying to make out  
The features of the tall  
Lithe man

Half-hidden in shadow  
“Step into the light”  
He commanded

After a moment’s hesitation  
Enjolras complied  
Stepping forward  
So his features were thrown  
Into sharp relief  
Grantaire took an  
Automatic step backwards  
Jaw dropping at the sight  
Of the other man’s beauty  
At his perfect marble features  
At his luscious golden hair  
Enjolras’s eyes met his  
Icy blue and determined  
“Well?” he asked

Grantaire could hardly breathe  
That Apollo himself would  
Offer to stay with him...  
But it was not like that  
His Apollo was unwilling

But still...  
Such beauty...

With a gruff nod  
Grantaire said stiffly  
“Fine  
If you wish to take his place  
I consent”

Mabeuf found himself  
Hauled to his feet  
Hurled from the castle  
Without even the chance  
To say goodbye  
To tell Enjolras  
To stay strong

Enjolras turned to  
His captor  
Chin held high  
Eyes blazing  
“Is this to be  
My cell, then?”

Grantaire just stared  
Still captivated  
Before remembering  
How to speak  
“You need not stay here”  
He offered awkwardly  
“There are rooms  
Plenty of rooms  
You would be more  
Comfortable”

If anything this  
Made Enjolras angriest of all  
“I shall take no more  
Than you gave to him”  
He insisted

He received a twisted  
Smile in return  
“We have much time  
To spend together  
Monsieur  
I am sure you do not  
Wish to die  
In this dungeon”

Enjolras wanted  
Nothing more than  
To argue  
But bit his tongue  
And followed the  
Other man  
Away from the dungeon  
After tense silence  
His captor offered  
“My name is Grantaire”

Enjolras looked at him  
His eyes still cold  
“Enjolras,” he said stiffly

He did not notice  
How Grantaire smiled  
Mouthing silently  
To himself  
“ _Enjolras_ ”

 

V.

Enjolras did not know  
What he had expected  
As a prisoner  
He certainly did not  
Expect the treatment  
He received  
Which was generally pleasant  
Making fast friends  
With the servants  
Particularly Combeferre  
And Courfeyrac

Grantaire was an enigma  
Who he could not figure out  
When sober, he was friendly  
Poorly mannered, perhaps  
And a true cynic  
But nice enough  
But when drunk  
He was an absolute monster  
Yelling at any within sight

Yet Enjolras would not know  
Only the servants noticed  
That as Enjolras’s stay  
Stretched onward  
Grantaire drank  
Less and less  
Oh, he still drank  
But his raging blackouts  
Fell in frequency

They would not mention it  
Would not dare breathe word  
For fear of his wrath  
But whispers spread  
Rumors grew  
And the castle slowly  
Began to fill again  
With hope

To some it seemed  
A lost cause still  
For Grantaire and Enjolras  
Were clashing forces of nature  
Spending their time  
Arguing bitterly  
Sometimes escalating  
Into full out fights

Grantaire would sulk after these  
Knowing that Enjolras  
Was stirring something in him  
That he would rather not have stirred  
For Enjolras  
Who was Apollo come to earth  
Would never want one such as him  
With a face as ugly as his

What he did not know  
Was that  
Enjolras did not care  
About Grantaire ugly face  
It was Grantaire’s  
Beastly nature  
That Enjolras abhorred  
He knew if the other man  
Was just to try  
He could be so much more  
But Grantaire seemed content  
To not care about anything  
To drown his life in drink  
He cared not for equality  
For liberty or for justice  
When Enjolras asked  
No, demanded, really  
Why Grantaire allowed  
Himself servants  
Why he perpetuated this  
Archaic system  
Grantaire had taken a sip  
Rolling it around in his mouth  
Looking at Enjolras evenly  
Just managing not  
To roll his eyes  
“Because,” he answered finally  
“Even if I tried to free them  
They wouldn’t go  
They wouldn’t leave me  
To ‘drink myself to death’—  
Combeferre’s words  
Not mine—  
And besides which”  
At this Grantaire leaned in  
His eyes sparkling  
With mischief  
“They’re a candelabra  
A clock  
A teapot  
Where exactly  
Would they go?”

Enjolras had raged at that  
Stating that it was hardly  
The crux of the matter  
That Grantaire was inflicting  
Servitude   
And Grantaire had just  
Watched him rant  
Occasionally interjecting  
When Enjolras started to  
Wind down  
Just to anger him again

Because there was nothing  
So beautiful in the world  
Than Enjolras when riled

****

VI.

It should be noted that  
While Grantaire was stylized  
“Prince”  
He had no kingdom  
To speak of  
Just a rambling castle  
In a far off forest  
That most had forgotten  
Existed

(And even if he had a kingdom  
Based on the castle’s design  
It would probably be somewhere  
In Germany  
And no Frenchman’s  
Revolutionary fervor  
Extended as far as  
Germany)

****

VII.

It took until Christmas  
For Enjolras to admit  
That the servants were not  
Mistreated, per se  
That perhaps their lives here  
Were not as bad as  
He had imagined  
That freeing them  
Was perhaps a  
Misguided goal

Still he longed for freedom  
Not for himself  
He had long given up  
On that idea  
But freedom for all people  
Still flowed through his veins

But there was little he could do  
From behind castle walls  
So instead he took  
Long walks outside  
Trying to relieve  
His excess energy  
Even as it gets cold  
And snows

One day Grantaire  
Could stand Enjolras’s  
Pacing no more  
And casually stooped  
To grab some snow  
Which he packed into a ball  
And threw at Enjolras

It hit with a wet THWAK  
Right on the back  
Of Enjolras’s head  
And Enjolras froze  
Before whirling around  
Eyes blazing  
Hair dripping  
To find Grantaire  
Doubled over  
With laughter

“Do you think that’s funny?”  
He snapped  
Brushing snow from  
His golden locks

Grantaire still laughed  
Wiping tears from  
His eyes  
“Hilarious, Apollo  
Had you seen  
The look on your face  
You too would laugh”

A muscle twitched  
In Enjolras’s jaw  
“I doubt it”  
He muttered darkly  
Turning away  
Only to be hit  
In the shoulder  
By another snowball

“That’s it”  
He snapped  
Bending over to   
Make snowballs of his own  
Pelting Grantaire  
With surprising accuracy

Their snowball fight escalated  
Into more of snow wrestling  
And ended with Enjolras  
Pinning Grantaire to the ground  
Their faces inches apart  
Breath clouding  
And mingling  
Blue eyes searched blue  
And for a moment   
They just stayed their  
Chests heaving  
Then Enjolras  
Very carefully  
Picked up a handful of snow  
And shoved it down  
The back of Grantaire’s shirt  
Before scampering  
Back into the castle

Neither acknowledged it  
But from that moment on  
Something had changed  
Between them

****

VIII.

It had been months since  
Enjolras was last spotted  
But Montparnasse  
Knew that the man was  
Still somewhere close  
Mabeuf still printed pamphlets  
Encouraging the proletariat  
And the old man could  
Hardly be managing that  
All on his own

So late one night  
Montparnasse sat  
In front of the   
Head of Police  
Javert  
Who looked at him  
Dispassionately  
“What do you want?”

Montparnasse grinned  
“For you to lock up  
Crazy old Mabeuf”

“Mabeuf?”  
If Javert was surprised  
He hid it well  
“Whatever for?  
The old man is harmless”

Leaning across the table  
Grinning conspiratorially  
Montparnasse stated  
“He’s planning a riot  
He and Enjolras”

Javert frowned  
But did not look convinced  
“Where is your proof?”  
He asked  
Arms crossed

Montparnasse frowned  
For of course  
He did not have any  
So he decided  
To try a different tack  
“Rumor has it  
That they are conspiring  
With the wanted man  
Jean Valjean”  
For Montparnasse knew  
How Javert had hunted  
For the convict

And he needed Mabeuf  
To be locked up  
Because locking up  
Crazy Old Mabeuf  
Who was so beloved  
By the people  
Would incite a riot  
And if anything  
Could draw Enjolras  
From where he hid  
It would be the people  
Finally rioting  
In the streets

So he stared  
Javert down  
As convincingly as  
He had ever looked  
After a long moment  
Javert said stiffly  
“I will look into it”

And Montparnasse smiled  
The kind of smile  
That prefaced a knife in the gut  
“Excellent”

****

IX.

Grantaire and Enjolras’s friendship  
Changed again  
When Grantaire sat down  
Next to Enjolras   
And said  
“I want to understand”

Enjolras looked up  
From the book he read  
Confused  
“Understand what?”

Grantaire gestured at the books  
And papers piled  
In front of Enjolras  
“All of it  
Liberty  
Justice  
Why you fight  
I can’t promise to agree  
But I want to know”

And Enjolras just  
Looked at him  
A softness in his eyes  
That Grantaire had never seen  
Before dropping his gaze  
And clearing his throat

Grantaire could have  
Listened to Enjolras talk  
For hours  
Days  
Weeks on end  
But he did not  
Let the man talk  
Completely unabated  
He interrupted  
He interjected  
He pointed out  
What flaws he saw  
Making the opposing argument

And yes, sometimes  
Enjolras got angry  
Even furious  
But Enjolras, too  
Started to listen  
Started to learn

And one day  
Weeks later  
After a long philosophical debate  
Enjolras studied Grantaire  
“You know” he said  
Conversationally  
“I think I may have  
Been too quick   
In judging you  
I may have been  
Wrong about you”

Grantaire blushed slightly  
And smiled  
“I was completely right  
About you Apollo”

Enjolras sighed  
And rolled his eyes  
“And then you say  
Things like that  
And I think that  
My initial assessment  
May have been  
Entirely on point”

Grantaire just grinned  
And Enjolras  
Returned his smile

****

X.

Mabeuf was in the village  
Talking to the baker  
When Javert approached him  
Stiff and unsmiling  
“Monsieur Mabeuf”  
He said, eyes flinty  
“I am here to arrest you  
On charges of harboring  
Information regarding  
The fugitive Valjean”

The baker protested  
“Javert, have you gone mad?  
Arresting Mabeuf!  
The man is harmless”

Mabeuf just looked  
Into Javert’s cold eyes  
“You can arrest me  
I will even go quietly  
But I hope that you know  
That in doing so  
You will finally light  
The fire that has   
Been simmering  
In the people”

Javert just grabbed his arm  
And said roughly  
“Let’s go”

By now the baker  
Had grabbed the butcher  
And the candlemaker  
Who yelled to the others  
“They’re arresting Mabeuf!”  
Voices were raised  
Throughout the square  
People coming out of their  
Houses or stores  
To yell questions  
Complaints  
Even threats  
At Javert’s  
Retreating form

In the shadows  
Montparnasse lurked  
Mouth curved in  
A fierce grin  
He mentioned offhandedly  
To no one in particular  
“It starts”

****

XI. 

Grantaire decided  
That he needed to make  
A grand gesture  
To try and win Enjolras

But any grand gesture  
He could think of  
Would only emphasize  
The things that Enjolras  
Disdained about him  
His wealth  
His privilege

So instead  
He decided to cook dinner  
No servants  
No help  
Just him

Enjolras sat at a table in the kitchen  
Flabbergasted  
As Grantaire brought  
The dishes to the table  
“You cooked for me?”  
He asked  
His eyes lighting up  
And a smile  
Brightening his face

“I wanted to show you  
That I listened  
And that I can things myself  
Without servants”

Enjolras’s smile faded slightly  
As he saw the food  
Then lit up again  
As he chuckled  
“While I believe  
That you can do absolutely anything  
Do you actually know  
How to cook?”

Grantaire frowned  
Also looking at   
What could really only be  
Described from a distance  
As food  
“Well, no, but...”

Enjolras took a judicious portion  
And took a large bite  
Chewing carefully  
“It’s...not terrible”  
He pronounced  
His eyes bright  
With laughter

Grantaire took a bite  
And nearly spit it out  
“What do you mean?  
It’s awful”

“Well, it’s not great”  
Enjolras conceded  
“But as your prisoner  
You could’ve subjected me  
To gruel and hardtack  
Which would undoubtedly  
Taste worse than this”

Grantaire stopped smiling completely  
Looking at Enjolras seriously  
“I do not consider you my prisoner”  
He said softly  
“I have not for some time  
I hope you know that  
And I hope  
I hope that you are happy  
Here with me”

Enjolras looked at him  
His own smile replaced  
By something serious  
“I am happy, Grantaire  
But I wish...”

“What?”  
Grantaire asked instantly  
“If I can grant it for you  
I will”

Enjolras swallowed  
“I wish I could see the people  
Could see if revolution progresses”

Grantaire paused  
“There is a way”  
He said  
And stood abruptly  
“Come with me”  
Hand-in-hand  
He led Enjolras  
To his chambers  
And the magic mirror  
“This mirror”  
He told Enjolras  
“Will show you anything  
Anything you wish to see”

Enjolras looked at it  
And whispered  
So softly Grantaire  
Almost couldn’t hear  
“Show me my people”

The scene the mirror showed  
Was worse than Enjolras  
Could have imagined  
Full-scale riots  
Throughout the village  
Which at first  
Made him happy  
Thinking his dreams of revolution  
Had been realized  
Then he saw the police  
And Patron-Minette  
Planning to use violence  
To subdue the people  
And he realized that he  
Did not see Mabeuf

“The people”  
He murmured  
“They are leaderless  
They will break  
As soon as Javert  
And Montparnasse  
Come out against them  
This is all my fault  
I should be there, helping”

Grantaire looked at him  
Saw the way his face lit up  
With revolutionary fervor  
And the guilt  
Over not being there  
And whispered words  
That broke his heart  
With each syllable  
“You should go to them  
Be their leader”

Enjolras’s eyes widened  
“Do you mean it?  
Truly?”

“I mean it”  
Grantaire said  
Squeezing Enjolras’s hand  
“I release you  
Go to your people  
Have your revolution”

“Thank you for understanding  
How much they need me”  
And Grantaire did understand  
But knew Enjolras would  
Never understand  
How much Grantaire needed him  
Too

****

XII.

Grantaire fell back  
In his old patterns  
Much quicker  
Than he would’ve thought  
Where before his days  
Had been filled with Enjolras  
Now they were only filled  
With drink  
And pain

Combeferre, Courfeyrac  
And all the others  
Did what they could  
But it was no use  
Without Enjolras  
Grantaire felt  
As beastly as  
He had ever

Weeks later he lounged  
In an armchair  
In the library  
Bottle in hand  
Trying to remember  
What Enjolras looked like  
Slumped over the table  
Reading late into the night

The door opened  
And he looked up  
And nearly fell from his chair  
For there was the man himself  
Enjolras  
Striding toward him  
Looking concerned

Grantaire stood  
Unsteady  
“Enjolras?” he asked  
Hardly daring  
To believe it

“Yes, Grantaire”  
Enjolras said  
Smiling slightly  
“It’s me”

Without thinking  
Grantaire grabbed him  
Pulled him into a fierce hug  
“You came back”  
He whispered  
His hands fisting  
In Enjolras’s shirt  
“You really came back”

“And I always will”  
Enjolras promised softly  
Into Grantaire’s hair

Grantaire pulled away slightly  
“What about the people?  
What about revolution?”  
Grantaire asked weakly  
Still unable to believe  
That Enjolras stood  
Before him

Enjolras smiled  
And drew him close  
“We had a revolution  
We won  
But it would never be  
Enough  
Without you there  
To share it with me”

And Enjolras kissed him  
And the spell was broken  
His friends returned  
To their human forms

But Grantaire reached up  
Felt his own face  
And cried, “It did not work!  
I am still ugly!”  
For he was  
Whether because it was too late  
The last petal too close to falling  
They would never know  
But Grantaire remained  
As hideous as he had been

But Enjolras just  
Kissed him again  
“I do not care about your looks  
I never have  
But your soul is now  
As beautiful as   
It could ever be  
And that it what   
I love most”  
So he kissed him  
Another time  
And whispered sweetly  
In Grantaire’s ear  
“Love, the future is thine”

****

XIII.

Grantaire was still the way he was  
His physical features unchanged  
His soul changed immeasurably  
He was still far from perfect  
Still drank a little too much  
Still argued far too much  
But he was trying  
And that was all that  
Enjolras ever asked of him

And when his face shone  
With love for Enjolras  
Lit with Enjolras’s love  
In return  
Despite his ugly features  
There were none  
Who would even think  
To call him beastly

 _Certain as the sun_   
_Rising in the East_   
_Tale as old as time_   
_Song as old as rhyme_   
_Beauty and the Beast_


End file.
